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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. shower — rain
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — to fit
  10. shower — to wash
  11. craft — a skill
  12. row — a line
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. stem — to come from
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. row — to paddle
  18. dip — to sink
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. craft — boats
  23. suit — clothes
  24. nail — on a finger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com